Gay Tory MP Nick Herbert appointed policing minister
Nick Herbert was appointed policing minister today after missing out on a place in the coalition cabinet.
Mr Herbert was shadow environment secretary previously, and before that was shadow minister for police reform.
The appointment to policing minister makes him the most senior out gay politician in the government.
He elected as the MP for Arundel and South Downs in 2005. He was viewed as a rising star in the party after being rapidly promoted to the shadow cabinet.
In January 2009, he entered into a civil partnership with solicitor Jason Eades. The pair have been together since 1999.
Before entering politics, Mr Herbert was the director of Reform, the independent think tank which he co-founded in 2002.
His former shadow cabinet colleague Alan Duncan, who is also gay, has not been given a cabinet or ministerial position yet.
He was made shadow minister of pensions in September, a demotion from shadow leader of the House after he was filmed complaining that MPs had to live on “rations”.
Chris Grayling, the former shadow home secretary who said B&B owners should be able to bar gay couples, has been tipped as pensions minister.
